


Repair the Damages

by killerweasel



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America: Winter Soldier
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-26
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 21:58:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1527185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerweasel/pseuds/killerweasel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one can make him forget now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Repair the Damages

Title: Repair the Damages  
Fandom: _Captain America: Winter Soldier_  
Characters: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark  
Word Count: 1,105  
Rating: PG-13  
A/N: AU after the events of _Captain America: Winter Soldier_  
Warnings: n/a  
Summary: No one can make him forget now.

 

When Bucky's eyes open, he has a brief flutter of panic as he tries to figure out where he is. The dull ache in his left arm where metal meets flesh helps jog his memory. What's most important is he's somewhere safe. There are no scientists, no one giving him orders, and no one making him forget again.

A soft snore comes from his right. Bucky tilts his head to get a look at his companion. He knows the man sleeping in the chair next to the bed and at the same time, doesn't know him at all. Thinking about this man makes the inside of his skull ache. His brain tries and fails to remember things from his past. It's frustrating and frightening and causes his good hand tighten on the sheets until he hears the fabric start to protest under his fingers.

Bucky has gone to the exhibit at the Smithsonian a dozen times. With each new visit, he hopes it will be the key to unlocking the things buried deep inside. James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes is a complete stranger. He doesn't recognize the name, the places they mention, or that Steve Rogers is his best friend. At the same time, everything feels horribly familiar. That's what bothers him the most.

He sits up carefully, trying to be as quiet as possible so he doesn't wake his guest. His ribs ache (crowbar from thug three, who hit him while was he was engaging thugs one and two), his knuckles are scabbed over (torn open when his fist knocked the gun out of thug one's hand), and he can feel the neat row of stitches in his temple (split when he knocked thug two out with a head-butt).

\---

He was sleeping under a bridge when the three attacked him. They probably thought they were just dealing with another homeless person, like Willie and George the week before. It took a great deal of effort on his part not to kill them. Killing was easy. Keeping people alive was much more difficult. Bucky countered their moves easily, knocked all of them to the ground, and then took off. He had no idea where he was going, but needed to get away before he did something he will never be able to forget. He no longer had the scientists to make him a blank slate and give him another fresh start. Anything he did now would be with him until he dies.

He ran without thinking, ran even though it made his ribs hurt so much breathing became a factor. Bucky's foot caught on a curb, sending him sprawling into the street. Lights bore down on him and for a very brief moment, he’d actually hoped this was the end because he's so damn tired. Instead, he braced himself for the impact by putting his left arm out with the hopes it will slow the car down enough to minimize the damage.

The impact hurt more than he expected. It sent a wave of pain through his left arm and shoulder until agony was all he knew. The air was filled with the sound of metal being smashed, screeching tires, and his own scream of rage. Bucky fell to the ground, curled his good arm around his ribs, and tried to make his body do what he wanted. He had to run, had to get away because he can't stay in one place for long. There are eyes everywhere. HYDRA's head might have been cut off by S.H.I.E.L.D., but two more would rise up to takes its place. That was the way it worked.

A hand touched his shoulder gently and he flinched away from it. Bucky tried to get his legs underneath him and slumped sideways instead. Fresh pain tore through his wounded ribs and shoulder. He rested on the pavement, panting through his mouth as the world went in and out of focus. He was so tired and everything hurt and he just wanted to go home, but he didn't even know where home was.

The hand touched him again, lighter than before and this time it was accompanied by soft spoken words. He was told he’d be okay, that he'd be safe. Bucky laughed and the sound was just shy of being hysterical. He'd never be safe. He doesn’t even know what the word meant any longer.

Then he heard the name of the man he used to be and he went very still. Bucky turned his head to look at the person who promised him a safe place. There was blood on the man's face, probably from when the airbag slammed into his nose. The man crouched down next to him, said his name was Tony Stark, and told Bucky they had a mutual friend.

Bucky didn't have friends. He didn't have anyone. It suddenly dawned on him who this man was talking about and a tendril of fear coiled down his spine before settling in his stomach. They sat in silence for a few minutes. When he thought he could get to his feet without throwing up, he allowed Tony to help him stand.

Somewhere between when he got into the new car Tony called for and when he arrived at Stark Tower, he drifted off. He dreamt of explosions and falling. Bucky woke up screaming and covered in sweat. The look on Tony's face wasn't the pity he expected, but understanding.

The doctor who treated Bucky’s injuries didn’t seem surprised by anything he was looking at or dealing with. He doesn’t even mention Bucky’s arm. Bucky stayed silent the entire time, only answering direct questions. Tony shoved a very large wad of bills in the doctor's hand before the man left the room.

Tony repaired the damage caused by the car to his cybernetic arm. He told Bucky no one else has technology like it and thought HYDRA probably 'borrowed' it from another world or dimension. Bucky missed most of the conversation that followed due to the pain medication the doctor had given him. He thought he heard Tony mention Steve before the darkness rose up to claim him.

\---

Bucky rubs the sleep from his eyes and ignores the growl from his stomach. He focuses on the man next to him. "Steve?" The corners of Bucky's mouth twitch when Steve almost falls out of the chair as he wakes.

"Bucky." A series of emotions flicker across Steve's face. He moves from the chair to the side of the bed, keeping a bit of distance between them as he sits down. "Are you okay?"

"I think I will be."


End file.
